Rio Olympics: Men's Soccer, Day 2

• by Soccer America , Aug 8, 2016

The unthinkable has happened. Host Brazil opened the Olympic men's soccer competition against South Africa and Iraq, two teams it was expected to beat handily, but it could only manage 0-0 draws. It will need to beat Denmark in its final game to avoid the possibility of being eliminated. The first teams through to the quarterfinals are Nigeria and Portugal, which both won their first two games.

The closest Brazil came to scoring on its 20 shots was Renato Augusto's shot off the crossbar late in the first half. Renato Augusto could have won the game in stoppage time but hit a shot over the goal with Iraqi keeper out of position. Iraq, which also tied Denmark in their opener, also scored in the first half when  Mohanad Abdulraheem  hit the inside of the post.

Mexico beat Fiji, 5-1, but the win was costly for the 2016 gold-medal team as it lost Oribe Peralta, hero of the 2012 gold-medal game, with a broken nose. It added Carlos Fierro  and  Raul Lopez in place of Peralta and Rodolfo Pizarro, who was also injured. Olympic rules allow teams to replace players who suffer certified "serious injuries" with players on the alternate list.

Argentina, winner of the gold medal in 2004 and 2008, finished with 10 players but got its first win with a 2-1 victory over Algeria on goals by  Angel Correa  and  Jonathan Calleri.

GROUP A
Aug. 4 in Brasilia
Iraq 0 Denmark 0.
Aug. 4 in Brasilia
Brazil 0 South Africa 0.
Aug. 7 in Brasilia
Denmark 1 South Africa 0.
Aug. 7 in Brasilia
Brazil 0 Iraq 0.
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Aug. 10 in Salvador
Denmark vs. Brazil
Aug. 10 in Sao Paulo
South Africa vs. Iraq

Standings
PTS TEAM W-T-L +/-
4 Denmark 1-1-0 1/0
2 Brazil 0-2-0 0/0
2 Iraq 0-2-0 0/0
1 South Africa 0-1-1 0-1

GROUP B
Aug. 4 in Manaus
Sweden 2 Colombia 2.
Aug. 4 in Manaus
Nigeria 4 Japan 3.
Aug. 7 in Manaus
Nigeria 1 Sweden 0.
Aug. 7 in Manaus
Japan 2 Colombia 2.
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Aug. 10 in Salvador
Japan vs. Sweden
Aug. 10 in Sao Paulo
Colombia vs. Nigeria

Standings
PTS TEAM W-T-L +/-
6 Nigeria 2-0-0 5/3
2 Colombia 0-2-0 4/4
1 Japan 0-1-1 5/6
1 Sweden 0-1-1 2/3


GROUP C
Aug. 4 in Salvador
South Korea 8 Fiji 0
Aug. 4 in Salvador
Mexico 2 Germany 2.
Aug. 7 in Salvador
Mexico 5 Fiji 1
Aug. 7 in Salvador
Germany 3 South Korea 3
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Aug. 10 in Belo Horizonte
Germany vs. Fiji
Aug. 10 in Brasilia
South Korea vs. Mexico

Standings
PTS TEAM W-T-L +/-
4 South Korea 1-1-0 11/3
4 Mexico 1-1-0 7/3
2 Germany 0-0-2 5/5
0 Fiji 0-0-2 1/13

GROUP D
Aug. 4 in Rio de Janeiro
Honduras 3 Algeria 2.
Aug. 4 in Rio de Janeiro
Portugal 2 Argentina 0.
Aug. 7 in Rio de Janeiro
Portugal 2 Honduras 1.
Aug. 7 in Rio de Janeiro
Argentina 2 Algeria 1.
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Aug. 10 in Brasilia
Argentina vs. Honduras
Aug. 10 in Belo Horizonte
Algeria vs. Portugal

Standings
PTS TEAM W-T-L +/-
6 Portugal 2-0-0 4/1
3 Honduras 1-0-1 4/4
3 Argentina 1-0-1 2/3
0 Algeria 0-0-2 3/5

QUARTERFINALS
Aug. 13 in Sao Paulo
Game 1: 1A vs. 2B               
Aug. 13 in Salvador
Game 2: 1B vs. 2A
Aug. 13 in Belo Horizonte
Game 3: 1C vs. 2D
Aug. 13 in Brasilia
Game 4: 1D vs. 2C

SEMIFINALS
Aug. 17 in Rio de Janeiro
Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. Game 3 winner
Aug. 17 in Sao Paulo
Game 6: Game 2 winner vs. Game 4 winner

BRONZE-MEDAL GAME
Aug. 20 in Belo Horizonte
Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 loser

GOLD-MEDAL GAME
Aug. 20 in Rio de Janeiro
Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner